CLEAR

North Carolina considers consolidation and compact participation

The Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly has considered a proposal to consolidate the Acupuncture Licensing Board, the State Board of Examiners of Fee-Based Practicing Pastoral Counselors, and the Board of Athletic Trainers.

The House passed a bill to allow North Carolina to join the Licensed Counselors Interstate Compact. That bill now awaits a hearing in the Senate. A bill was filed in the Senate to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, but that bill has not advanced.

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British Columbia considers consolidating legal professional regulators

The Ministry of the Attorney General in British Columbia has announced proposed changes to the regulatory framework for legal professionals. Under the proposal, regulation of lawyers, notaries, and paralegals would be consolidated under a single statute and a single regulator. A new mandate clarifying the duty to protect the public would be established. Scopes of practice would also be updated and clearly defined. Further details of the proposal are under development in consultation with the Law Society of BC, the Society of Notaries Public of BC, and representatives of the paralegal profession.

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New licensing laws in effect in Texas

Several laws went into effect September 1 affecting the Texas department of Licensing and Regulation. The TDLR has been extended for 12 years, with the next sunset review scheduled for 2033. Some professions have been deregulated: polygraph examiners, wig stylists and wig salons, and combative sports event coordinator and others. The barbering program and the cosmetology program are combined into a new board. Under SB40 and HB4, telehealth and telemedicine will be allowed for programs administered by TDLR.

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Minnesota audit recommends changes to cosmetology licensure

A report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor notes that the licensing structure and requirements for cosmetology are overly burdensome and do not contribute to public health or safety. The report recommends creating a specialty license for those who only want to perform hair services, eliminating multiple salon type licenses, and evaluating if cosmetology and barbering should still be regulated separately.

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Massachusetts: proposal to move boards under Department of Public Health

A bill, the Act Relative to Licensing Accountability in the Commonwealth, filed by Massachusetts's governor would transfer 13 boards (allied health, allied mental health, chiropractors, dietitians and nutritionists, dispensing opticians, hearing instrument specialists, podiatry, optometry, psychologists, social workers, speech pathology and audiology, health officers, and sanitarians) from the Division of Professional Licensure to the Department of Public Health. The DPL would still include 15 licensing boards, 10 boards within the Office of Public Safety and Inspections, and the Office of Private Occupational School Education. DPL would be renamed Division of Occupational Licensure. The bill also would prohibit Level 3 sex offenders from being licensed by the Division or the Department.

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Idaho: report on board consolidation progress

The administrator of the newly created Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses in Idaho has given  progress report to legislators. He reports that four of the eleven agencies being consolidated are now in temporary office space, with ongoing remodeling and construction for the new Division. Despite relocation and remodeling costs, the report anticipates future cost-savings due to availability of meeting space and reduced lease payments by individual agencies.

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Final report on BC healthcare regulatory reform

The steering committee has released its final report on reform of the healthcare regulatory system in British Columbia. The proposal would consolidate 20 healthcare regulatory colleges into six and establish a new oversight body to set standards and serve as disciplinary authority across colleges. Members of college boards would no longer be elected but instead appointed through a competency-based process. The report requires approval by the cabinet and legislature before moving forward.

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British Columbia: architects to move under Professional Governance Act

The Architectural Institute of British Columbia will become the sixth BC regulator to have regulatory functions transitioned to the Professional Governance Act, which was introduced in November 2018. The transition will take place through 2021 or early 2022. 

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BC: steering committee proposes changes to healthcare regulation

A legislative committee in British Columbia is proposing changes to "streamline and modernize the province’s health professions regulatory system, to increase transparency and to put a 'relentless focus on patient safety.'” One aspect of the changes would allow consumers more information online about complaints, actions and sanctions against health professionals. Another aspect of the plan calls for the 20 health regulatory colleges to be consolidated into 5 - podiatrists would join physicians and surgeons, midwives would join nursing professionals, and the four oral health colleges would become one. Other changes would be an umbrella entity to oversee the colleges and equal numbers of professional and public members on boards. Comments are sought on the proposed changes through January 10, 2020.

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Article highlights recent trends in professional regulation in Canada

An article published by Field Law reviews changes in the Canadian regulatory arena over the past six months, including trends toward "societal and political skepticism of the value of self-regulation," establishment of independent oversight bodies, consolidation of regulatory organizations, inclusion of a majority of public members on Councils, merit-based appointments to Councils rather than election of members, and the loss of self-regulation in favor of government control of some professions.  The author urges regulatory bodies to "batten down the hatches" and "ensure that the captain is firmly on the wheel."

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